By Vimal Kapoor
Yesterday evening I went to the lower end of the town, to ‘Darshani Gate’ and ‘Hanuman Chowk’ for some work. I parked my vehicle at a distance and then walked across the lively streets. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden hue over the market streets. The air was filled with electric excitement as the festive season was in full swing, and the anticipation of Diwali, the festival of lights, was obvious. The market was a riot of colours, lights, sounds, and scents.
Every corner was adorned with vibrant decorations.
Rows of tiny oil lamps, the diyas, adorned shop fronts and stalls, creating a shimmering sea of light. Strings of marigold flowers and colourful dancing lights dangled from awnings, adding a quirky charm to the atmosphere. Families with children in tow meandered through the maze of stalls, their laughter and chatter filling the air, their faces radiant with excitement and joy. Shopkeepers stood attentive, their wares beautifully displayed. Traditional Indian music played in the background, its lively beats adding to the celebratory mood.
The scents of the market were equally enchanting; ‘Hanuman Chowk’ is famous for ‘pooriwalas’.The aroma of street food wafted through the air, tempting taste buds with the promise of delicious pooris, spicy chaats, crispy samosas, and sweet jalebis. Vendors selling fragrant flower incense, and aromatic spices created a heady, intoxicating blend of scents.
As the sun dipped below the horizon the daylight faded. Shopkeepers lit their diyas, and the market seemed to come alive with a warm, radiant glow. Firecrackers burst into the light orange dusk sky, their dazzling colours and loud pops adding to the symphony of the festival.
Though everything was not hunky dory and I observed that festive season in Doon Valley has its own share of difficulties and complications too – most prominent being choking of roads due to exuberant and liberal sprinkling of people out on shopping binge, with traffic snarls all over the town, further fuelled by tourists coming in from Delhi and Punjab.
To aggravate the matters further, the fruit vendors and other shops on wheels known as ‘Rehris’ also barge in and as a result the market becomes so overcrowded that even pedestrians find it difficult to move. In such a set-up the chain snatchers and pick picketers have a field day, not to mention eve teasers going berserk, God forbid if any of the well decorated shop catches fire, it’s virtually impossible for a fire brigade vehicle to reach on time. No amount of siren blaring would help in this teeming part of the town, and a fire crisis could easily lead to a stampede and, as a consequence, a major tragedy could take place.
The authorities should keep a constant vigil so that no cart or ‘rehri wallahs’ are allowed to enter Paltan Bazaar and none of the shop keepers should be allowed to extend their shops and keep their wares on the roads. Apart from this, a policemen should be placed after every 10 meters with a ‘wireless’ at his disposal. Two most crucial days when the market is really crowded and jam packed are Dhanteras and the day before Diwali.
Coming back to the significance of the festive season. Dhanteras marks the first day of the three-day-long Diwali Festival. Finally, we have the ‘piece-de-resistance’ of the festive fortnight known as Diwali. Women create intricate and colourful designs at the entrance of their homes using powdered rice, coloured sand, or flower petals. ‘Rangoli’ is considered an auspicious way to welcome guests and symbolises the beauty of life. The effervescent spirit of Diwali is in the air, bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. Diwali is a celebration of life and culture, a festival that unites hearts and fills the air with the promise of hope and joy.
(Vimal Kapoor, a Dehradun resident, is passionate about literature, creative writing, cricket and exploration through travel)
